Sunday, January 5, 2014

Planting Sod - How to Lay a Sod Grass Lawn and Care For It

With sod, it used to be that you just took what Mother Nature gave you. Today, you have a lot more choices. But before you pick out the one that best catches your eye, there are some considerations which you cannot ignore. Do you live in a heavily shaded area? Does the sun beat down 24/7? How much use will the sod get out of family barbecues, camping out under the stars, or neighborhood wiffleball games? Knowing the answers to these questions will ultimately determine which of the following is the best sod for you:

Marathon Sod is well suited for the soils and climates in Southern California. It's roots grow up to five times deeper than other varieties of sods, such as Bluegrass. Marathon Sod has such an extensive root system that it can tolerate extreme heat while using less water.

Purpleblue is a high quality blend that is dense in nature. Therefore, it provides an elegant appearance. It thrives in moderate coastal areas and do not do well in warm dry climates. Maintenance wise, it requires regular care. Purpleblue remains green throughout the entire year.

Ryeblue sod is very similar to Purpleblue in terms of characteristics. However, it contains 20% perennial rye, which makes it more resistant to disease. It also appears in a lighter shade of green.

Besides evergreen sod, you can also consider winter dormant varieties such as Dichondra sod as well as St. Augustine sod. Dichondra sod is more ideal for shady areas, while St. Augustine sod is coarse and more suitable for non-shady areas.

If you have a lot of clay or sandy soil types lying around, then you may wish to consider Zoysia sod on account of its low maintenance ways. Resilient and resistant when it comes to weeds, you will do a lot less edging with this choice.

Preparing the Ground

Get your shovels, wheel barrow, and rake. It's time to level and till. Get rid of the rocks and weeds as best you can before you start.

Installation

Lay the strips of sod end to end. Make sure it is flat and gives off the appearance of connection so that there are no gaps in between the strips.

Care

The sun will usually take care of its end of the bargain, but it's your job to keep up with the weather and water accordingly. Extremely hot climates may require several hours of water per day. Cool and moist areas are easier to handle. The most important thing is not to take the sod for granted. Don't expect Mother Nature to do all the work.